Dear Diary
by lilias
Summary: a bewitched diary, a devious Draco, and a gushy Ginny, what next? chapter 7 is finally up!
1. Dun dun DUN!!!

Dear Journal,  
  
Guess what happened today? I was walking down the hall and I dropped my quill. And then guess what happened? Harry Potter came and picked it up and asked me, "Is this your quill?" Ohmigosh. I thought I was going to faint. It's my favorite quill now. When I touch the it and feel the finger prints of Harry Potter, it's almost like we're holding hands!  
  
I'm writing in Professor Binn's History Class. He's going to call on me now. I'll write later.  
  
Ginny  
  
  
  
Draco chortled at the diary entry. The little Freckle Face was infatuated with that Potter boy. It was pathetic. What was even more stupid was that the little Weasley had dropped her precious little confidante from her book bag when she walked into him like a zombie on love potions. Now in the dormitory, he wondered what he should do with it.  
  
'Should he post it in the Great Hall and wait to see the Weasley turn an absolutely stunning shade of vermillion? Or perhaps send it to Potty boy via owl mail? And even better, slip it into her potions homework and let Snape do the rest. Life was filled with such wonderful choices!' A brilliant idea hit him suddenly. Why, in his second year he had heard his father talking about giving the Muggle Lover an enchanted diary that wrote back. He bet that he could scare the dickens out of the girl with a stunt like that!  
  
With a flourish he took out his eagle feather quill and dipped it into a special ink. He bit the tip while thinking. Hmmm. This could be fun.  
  
  
  
Dear Ginny,  
  
You are pathetic. I'm sick of listening to your blabbering nonsense about Potty boy Harry Potter. Don't you have any friends besides me. You are the most pathetic creature know. Go get a life.  
  
I do have to admit that your life is quite interesting, funny really. You could publish it someday and make a million galleons, probably help you're a family a bit. I heard you're quite destitute. Ta ta for now.  
  
Sincerely  
  
Your Journal  
  
He stared at it awhile and then ripped the page out. The entry sounded too much like him, time to try charm.  
  
  
  
Dear Ginny,  
  
It's quite sad that you have fallen for a boy who has no interest in you, but its quite understandable. Why settle for Harry Potter when you can have someone you loves you for you. I'm not sure if you actually like him, perhaps you just want attention.  
  
Whenever you need to talk, I'll be here.  
  
Your Journal  
  
'I'm brilliant, he thought. Now she'll probably ooze out all her secrets to me and as a plus she'll hate that disgustingly Potter boy. All that information will be useful whenever I need to blackmail her.'  
  
Now came the hard part. He would have to steal again to write the next entry. Oh yes, brilliant he thought. The old goat Flitwick was good for something. He took out a blank book. He laid it next to Ginny's diary.  
  
Taking out his wand he murmured, "Duplictius." Instantly, writing began to appear on his book. He laughed. Now he wouldn't have to steal it again. Anything he wrote would immediately be transferred into her book and vice versa. He could almost hear Crabbe and Goyle guffawing idiotically in the background, but then they were the hospital wing after a nasty accident involving buber tuber pus.  
  
Just because it looked like candy didn't mean those buffoons should ingest it. And he had been saving that junk to feed to Potter boy. Now he just had to get the book back into Ginny's hands.  
  
"Draco, how could you?" Draco looked up, had he been caught. Pansy lunged at him, her face red. "How could you!" 


	2. Insanity

Pansy lunged at him, sobbing furiously and grabbing his robes.  
  
"What do you think you are doing, woman! And what are you doing in the boy's dormitories?"  
  
"How," she gulped, "how could you forget our one week anniversary?" She pummeled him with her fists. 'Blimely, that woman could hit hard.' He dropped the book and it fell open. Ginny's signature was bright purple and Pansy's beady eyes caught sight of it. "Ginny Weasely. You dumped ME for a Gryffindor!" She shrieked, her sharp red nails going straight for his eyes. Luckily, being Seeker did have some advantages and he jerked backward right before she blinded him. He grabbed her wrists, panting. She kicked him hard. Only girls could play that dirty and deal cheap shots like that.  
  
"First of all, I never went out with you." He growled in pain, utterly perplexed at Pansy. He had hated that pug face for the last five years and had only gone to the ball with her last year, because his father insisted. Pansy and her family could fill the prefect's bathtub with galleons and have some left over. "Second of all, how could you of all people think that I would sink to the level of associating myself with muggle-lovers!"  
  
"Oh, so you're not going out with her." She was calming down, fluttering her eyelashes. 'Did she have one too many butter beers?'  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh," Pansy straightened her robes and patted down her hair, which had so much Sleazy potion that it looked brittle and ready to snap off. "Draco, you are so funny." She gave a slight giggle that was ugly even by donkey standards. "You gave me quite a scare. You were just playing with me, right?" Draco was confused, very confused. One minute she was trying to tear him into pieces and the next she was flirting with him. What was he supposed to say? If he said yes would she be insulted and if he said no she would angry.  
  
"Draco?"  
  
"Yes, yes." He whispered nervously, ready to duck if she decided to throw a curse at him.  
  
"So where's my present?" Her eyes had a dangerous gleam in them and her teeth were bared in tight smile. He had a feeling that if he didn't come up with something fast, she would tear his throat out. Quickly, he transfigured a paperweight into a rose. He offered it tentatively to her.  
  
"Oh Draco," she embraced him and nearly broke his neck and cutting off his windpipe, "you're so romantic." Draco smiled stiffly. How was he supposed to get this girl off of him?  
  
"Pansy, while you're here would you like to help me with Binn's homework. I have to write a three parchment essay on how the Goblin Wars have affected the present." Pansy's eyes darted nervously.  
  
"Oh Draco, I'd love to." She smiled.  
  
"Please go away", Draco thought very hard, "please go away."  
  
"But I really have to try a new cosmetic spell I bought at Hogmeades. Maybe some other time?"  
  
"Alright." With a last wave, she quickly retreated from the boy's dormitory. Her hips swung as if she was trying to be seductive, but in reality she looked like an unbalanced or perhaps drunk dog.  
  
He sighed in relief. Thank Merlin that his relationship with Potty and his gang wasn't as complicated. He had never really appreciated the simplicity of hate. None of love-hate thing that he had deals with Pansy, leaving him in a constant state of confusion.  
  
Now, how was he supposed to get the book back into Ginny's hands without anyone else finding out? Suddenly, brilliance struck again and he was done the stairs and out the dormitory before you could say "hippogriff."  
  
  
  
~Hey people don't expect the next chapter till next week! 


	3. Draco:1; Harry:zip

Taking his Nimbus 2001 Draco flew to the Quidditch field. Potty and company were always there around this time. He knew because last time he went to the Quidditch field around that time Potty had nearly blasted him off his broom after Draco made some "honest remarks."  
  
It was almost sunset and the field had long shadows growing on it like weeds. The gold hoops cast crooked shadows on the dark grass. Harry Potter was showing off as usually, doing neat tricks on his Firebolt. His fan club was in the bleachers cheering loudly right on cue, Ginny especially.  
  
"Well if it isn't Potty with his gang of weasles and mudbloods?" Draco said lowly, he knew that Ginny, Ron, and Hermione couldn't possibly hear from up here.  
  
"Take that back Malfoy!" Harry snapped, taking out his wand.  
  
"Come on Potty, hex me! Protect your girlfriend's honor." He drawled.  
  
"Malfoy, I'm warning you. Shut up or I'll transfigure you into a ferret."  
  
"Come on, Potty." Malfoy goaded, "be a little more creative then that."  
  
He quickly ducked with a curse hurtled his way. Malfoy zoomed up to Harry and punched him as hard as he could. He had been waiting forever to do that and he knew that Harry would be too honorable to snitch on him. Harry socked him back, nearly breaking his nose.  
  
"Stop that!" He heard Hermione screamed. He glanced down, Hermione had taken out her wand. Acting quickly, Draco pulled the book out of his pocket and shoved Harry with both hands. Unfortunately, he was only able to knock Harry off balance. The book landed in the grass.  
  
"Why Potter, I think you dropped your diary. Tell me do you have issues?" Draco said wickedly. Ginny recognizing the book dashed onto the field and grabbed it. Hugging it to her chest, she burst into tears and ran back towards the school. Hermione quickly followed her.  
  
"Looks like your admirer is overjoyed to get her hands on your diary, Potter. I bet she'll read it from cover to cover." He said loudly. Ron stared at Harry and then looked at where Ginny had disappeared.  
  
"You keep a journal, Harry?" Harry gave him a confused look. Draco laughed; he had actually tricked the Triwizard champion with a simple slight of hand trick. "I suggest you get the book, Potter, before someone publishes it."  
  
With that he flew away.  
  
***  
  
A few minutes later, he reached the Slytherian Dormitories. He welcomed the sight of the gloomy, damp dungeon and green and silver tapestries. He ran down the narrow twisting stairways to the boy's fifth year bedrooms. Pulling his book out of his silver- crusted and jeweled trunk. He lay on his stomach as he read.  
  
  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
I can't believe Harry stole my journal! I never thought he would do such a thing. I bet he's read it and is in his room right now laughing about stupid little Ginny's crush on him. How could he! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! (A large wet stain suddenly appeared on the parchment.)  
  
I'm not sure if this journal can write back or not, maybe Harry wrote it. I bet Harry told Ron too, that was why he was laughing at dinner today. And he's my brother. How could he, we're supposed to be family! Pretty soon the whole school will find out and oh that's too horrible to imagine. I wish I could steal and box full of Fred and George's dung bombs and put them in Harry and Ron's beds. That will show them. Oh no! Hermione's coming.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Ginny  
  
  
  
Draco laughed until his sides burned, now she hates him, he thought gleefully. The girl was as easy to control as a broomstick. He pulled out a pen from his robes and chewed the tip while he thought.  
  
  
  
Dear Ginny, (he wrote in large flowing letters)  
  
I'm sorry to hear about the Potter incident. It's rather unfortunate, but boys do have cruel minds. You must show those two that you are not to be trifled with. Try to add some canary creams to their breakfast. I hope you the best of luck!  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Your journal  
  
  
  
Carefully, Draco put the book back into his trunk and grabbed a few books and pieces of parchment before heading up the stairs to the common room. He cracked open a few books and dipped his quill in ink. He had to finish Professor Binn's history report in two days and tomorrow was Quidditch practice. If he got another bad mark, Lucius would be sure to whale him. It was going to be a long night. 


	4. Dung bombs and Canary creams

Breakfast in the Great Hall was tense the next morning. While spooning oatmeal into his mouth, Draco kept his eyes fixed onto the hallway. Ten minutes passed, fifteen, then he gave up. Ginny would never have the guts to pull such a stunt. As he entered the Great Hall, she had left with her head low and her cheeks red. She had probably been too nervous to do anything. He sighed; he always had to do everything, not that he minded.  
  
They would have double potions with the Gryffidors before lunch. Crabbe and Goyle were still in the hospital wing and Draco was quite glad. Those buffoons were nice bodyguards, but he was sure that if he combined their O.W.L.S, the idiots would wind up with a negative number. With Crabbe and Goyle out of his hair and the prospect of making Potter's life miserable, he happily helped himself to a piece of toast. To top things off, Pansy had dyed her face an electric blue because she misread the directions on the cosmetic spell and she was now with Madam Pomfrey.  
  
Today was a glorious day. He leaned forward to take a bite out of toast when he gagged. A smell that rivaled dragon dung permeated the air. People began to cough. From the entrance hall, the local celebrity arrived. So the little red head did have the guts. Half of the Great Hall was quickly vacated. The remainder held their noses and made snide remarks about the smells that were on Harry Potter and his friend Ronald Weasely.  
  
Hermione sat two seats away from them out of what seemed like loyalty, but even she was turning slightly green. Draco had lost his appetite completely, but he stayed to watch the show. Everyone who was left was whispering to each other.  
  
"Wonder how those blasted things got into our robes?" Weasely said.  
  
"Just leave me alone," grumbled Potter. Weasely looked at Draco.  
  
"Reckon he did it," he nodded his head at Draco.  
  
"Oh like I would sink that low," Draco called back, keeping his distance.  
  
"There is no low for you, Malfoy," Hermione said, protecting her friends.  
  
"Keep out of this, Granger."  
  
"I think I'll just ignore you, Malfoy," Hermione snapped, "and I suggest you, Harry, do the same."  
  
Harry glared sullenly, but started on some scrambled eggs. Ron reached for a piece of toast and dipped his knife into the butter and spread a generous layer onto it.  
  
"Wow, the house elves really outdid themselves today," he exclaimed, cheerfully, "it tastes just like cre--" Hermione screamed. A bright yellow canary sat on the table. It chirped nervously. There was an explosion of laughter.  
  
"Bloody, brilliant! Weasely is sacked by his own brothers." Draco laughed hysterically. It seemed that cream from the Canary cream puffs were now stronger since Ron just flapped his wings indignantly. "You know I'll be out a business soon," Draco joked, "because I'm willing to bet your crazy brothers will finish you off before I have a chance." Ron divebombed onto Draco and began to peck his head.  
  
"Ouch! Get off of me, you bloody little bird." There was a slight explosion of yellow feathers and Ron landed on top of Draco. "Get off me before I curse you," Draco screamed. Ron scrambled off the now bright red Draco.  
  
"I think, Malfoy, that red is quite a good color for you," Ron said conversationally, "you should blush more often." With all the dignity, Draco had left; he stood up and began to pull the feathers out of his hair and off his clothes.  
  
Potter choked on his eggs and gulped down some of his pumpkin juice. Potter disappeared and a small squirrel appeared on his chair. It panicked and jumped onto the table and began to run in circles.  
  
"Squirrel sugar syrup," Ron said, "Fred told me about that. I thought he was joking." He and Hermione made a dive for the frantic squirrel. They both missed and banged into each other. The squirrel knocked pitchers of pumpkin juice and baskets of muffins while it tried to dodge the two Gryffidors. Draco started laughing so hard that his face turned from vermilion to a dark purple. Seamus Finnigan tried to help but got his front splattered with bacon as the squirrel agilely dodged him.  
  
The laughter now in the Great Hall was like firecrackers. Finally, the squirrel shed its fur and turned back into Harry Potter. Blushing furiously, he ran out of the Great Hall humiliated with bits of fur still on his face and his robes covered with food. A feathered Weasely and worried Granger were close behind.  
  
Now that the show was over, everyone left giggling madly. "Today was bound to be exciting," Draco thought. He dusted the last of the feathers off of him and walked toward Professor Sprout's class.  
  
During Professor Binn's class, which was directly before Potions, Draco opened the book.  
  
Dear Journal,  
  
I did it. During Care of Magical Creatures, Colin Creevey told me about Harry and my brother. I giggled like mad. I should have stayed to watch, but I was afraid I would get caught. That should teach those two not to mess with me. But then I saw Ron yelling at Fred and George, I feel bad about getting those two in trouble.  
  
We were learning about unicorns today and I got to touch a foal. However, I was thinking too much about Harry that I forgot about Hagrid. He had to ask me three times to name the uses of unicorn hair and I didn't know the answer. He sighed and looked disappointed. Now I feel terrible, what should I do?  
  
Write back soon,  
  
Ginny  
  
  
  
Should Draco tell her to ignore Hagrid? No, she liked Hagrid too much and might stop listening to him. But he hated that ugly, hairy bloke. He couldn't see how that fool, Dumbledore, actually hired him. Gritting his teeth, he wrote.  
  
  
  
Dear Ginny,  
  
I think you should apologize to Hagrid, personal life is important but not as much as studies. You have to do well. About your brothers, remember all those times they put spiders in your bed, well this is your revenge. Perhaps, you should lie low a bit and wait until your brother and Harry are unsuspecting before you strike again.  
  
~Your journal  
  
  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, would you care to tell us what you are doing?" said a gravelly voice. Draco jumped. Everyone was staring at him.  
  
"It's nothing," he muttered and quickly transfigured the book into a quill.  
  
"Then would you like to answer the question?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Could you tell the class who was Bellerophon and his role in developing winged horses?" 'Thank Merlin's beard that Hermione wasn't the only one who reads ahead, 'he thought.  
  
"Bellerophon was an early Greek wizard and he created the first winged horse by breeding a horse and a hippogriff." Professor Binns humphed as if annoyed that Draco had been able to answer the question without paying attention to class.  
  
"Well, then can you please tell us--" the bell rang and Draco gathered his things.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy may I see you for a moment?" Professor Binns said. Draco nodded and approached the desk. The ghosts translucent form and glowing eyes made him a bit frightening. "Your behavior in the last few days has been less than satisfactory. If this continues, I'll be forced to notify your father."  
  
"My father," Draco choked. His father would strangle him if he got less than perfect scores.  
  
"I'll be good, sir," he said hurriedly.  
  
"Good, now run along," the ghost made a shooing motion with one hand. Draco rushed to potions. 'Harry Potter,' he thought, 'watch your back!' 


	5. Almost discovered

Fate seemed to smile on Draco today, since the cauldron right next to his was none other than Harry Potter and Ronald Weasely. They no longer stank of dung bombs, but that would soon change. As usual, the slimy, boot licking Snape treated Draco like gold and everyone else like dirt.  
  
The special treatment always delighted Draco and he especially enjoyed it today as they made a potion to reverse a memory charm. Snape had created it years before, but somehow conveniently forgot about it when Professor Lockhart lost his memory.  
  
While Draco copied the formula down and added the normal amounts of newt eyes, toad spleens, and dragon teeth, he formulated yet another brilliant plan. Adding snake venom to the anti- memory potion would make it give off a terrible stench. Quickly, he finished adding all the ingredients and covered his cauldron. Then he took a dropper of snake venom and prepared to drop it into Potty's cauldron.  
  
While Weasely and Potter were in a deep conversation, Draco carefully leaned closer toward the cauldron. He extended his hand, ready to squeeze the drops into the potion.  
  
"Hey Draco," two gruff twin voices chorused. Draco jerked and the dropper went flying. His eyes locked on it as it rotated slowly in the air and right into.Neville's cauldron. There was no noise and Draco watched first in horror and then in amusement as Neville's cauldron sprung a leak and the crimson liquid began to flow onto the floor. Draco waited but there was no offending smell. Neville hadn't finished the potion so their was so smell, but the acidity of snake venom had melted the cast iron cauldron. Crabbe and Goyle guffawed idiotically next to Draco. Draco glared at them furiously.  
  
They had ruined everything. Nothing could have gone worse, except it did. Neville, the stupid bloke, added the wrong final ingredient. It exploded! The liquid hit the stony ceiling with such force that the rubble began to rain down with the potion. Everyone ducked as the crimson liquid fell. People screamed as the potion burned through their clothes and blistered their skin. It landed in every cauldron except Draco's and set off reaction explosions just like a game of Exploding Snap.  
  
Ten minutes later, everyone was in the hospital wing having salved put on his or her burns. Neville was an inch from being strangled by Professor Snape, whose nose had an impressive boil.  
  
"Neville Longbottom, you nearly destroyed me classroom. I hope your grandmother can pay for all the damages, if she can't then you better watch your morning goblet of pumpkin juice. My hand might just slip and food poisoning is quite common you know." Longbottom gulped, fearfully.  
  
"Congratulations, Draco," Goyle started, his face bandaged. He and Crabbe were the only ones who remained standing through the explosion and their faces were badly burned. Draco had wisely hid behind them. "That was a really good tri--" Draco kicked him in the stomach.  
  
"Are you trying to get me expelled," Draco hissed, knowing that people were staring. "It was no affair of mine that Pansy dyed her face blue," Draco said in a louder tone. Whispers began to pass through a group of Slytherin girls near him. Pansy would have his head if Draco didn't do some damage control fast. "Next time I'll just send a simple gift of chocolate," he said imperiously. He glanced at the girls; they were giggling now. He sighed; he was out of trouble right now. A shadow fell over him and he looked up.  
  
Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasely stood in front of him.  
  
"We know you did it, Draco." Hermione said lowly. "How could you do such a thing to Neville."  
  
"Look on the bright side Granger, at least Snape hasn't yelled at you three buffoons once today." Ron grabbed Draco's robes and the book fell out. "Did you steal this from the restricted section," Hermione inquired picking up the book and opened it. Draco stopped breathing. "The Life Cycle of a Glumbumble. This actually interests you!" she demanded. Draco started again. The disguise charm was actually working.  
  
"Yes, it does." He said defiantly.  
  
"It does me too." Hermione said eagerly. "It just fascinates me how the Glumbumble produces a melancholy treacle."  
  
"Yes, and how many Muggle suicides have been linked to honey infected by Glumbumbles. The Ministry really should really exterminate those things before Muggles become extinct." He said softly.  
  
"I totally agree." Potter and Weasely glanced at each other with puzzled looks.  
  
"Stop fraternizing with the enemy, Hermione," Ron said.  
  
"Shut up Ron," Hermione snapped, "can't you see we're having intelligent conversation. May I borrow your book Draco?"  
  
"Yes, when I'm done with it."  
  
"Oh. Thank you." She ripped out a page to Draco's horror. "I really want to finish this page and I'll reattach it for you later." The bell rang. "Bye," she waved and left. Draco paled. He had cast the disguise charm on the spine of the book not the pages. He prayed that the page Hermione had ripped out would not revert to its old form.  
  
A few minutes later, Hermione entered the Gryffidors Common room. Picking a nice comfy chair near the fire, she pulled the paper out of her robes to read.  
  
'Dear Journal,  
  
I can't stand that Harry Potter. He drives me mad. I hate it how all the girls giggle around him, can't they see that he's just a big fake. Next time I'm going to ask Fred and George for some more dung bombs. The smell was all over my hands today and I can't get them off. I thought everyone would notice. Parvati just asked where I had gotten my perfume. Mum's recipe I told her.  
  
I hate Ron too. He was so mean to me today, I think he blamed me for the dung bombs. Innocent little me? I thought I executed everything perfectly and I don't know how he knew. I denied it of course, but I'm not sure he believed me. He has to believe me, I can't stand it when people don't like me. It makes me feel all bad inside.  
  
I just asked Fred for more dung bombs. He asked me to pay for them and I thought we were close. George did give me a few galleons for talking to Angelina for him. Now they're dating, wonderful isn't it. I'm being sarcastic of course; Angelina is about four inches taller than George is.  
  
With the galleons George gave me, I went to Hogsmeade and bought the prettiest dress robe. It's blue and the sales witch says it sets off the color in my eyes. Whoever would think that they would turn blue at my age. She also gave me a weird look, but I guess it was because of the state of my robes. I think I've ripped them again. I wished I had a house elf to maintain them. Well anyway, then I went and bought some new shoes with pretty pink laces.  
  
I'  
  
The rest of the page was blank. Hermione looked up to see Ginny crying and running up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. She shrugged and read the entry again. Yup, Draco definitely had problems.  
  
  
  
  
  
***Post Script***  
  
Dear Readers,  
  
There is much controversy on the appearance of the twins. In the movie they were quite tall. For the book definition, turn to page 50 on Goblet of Fire and you'll get a description of the whole Weasely family. For a description of Angelina Johnson look on page 261 of Goblet of Fire. 


	6. Meeting Monster

Running to her trunk, Ginny quickly threw it open and pulled out the diary. She flipped it to the last page she had written. It had been ripped out! First Harry had read it and now Hermione was stealing pieces of it. She burst into tears. How could they! Suddenly all her idols seem to turn into monsters who were trying to make her life as miserable as possible. She had to find a new hiding place. Maybe she could ask Fred and George for a hiding place, but then they might discover her diary too. Perhaps she could steal a piece of Harry's invisibility cloak and wrap the journal up, but then she might lose it. Her best bet was to transfigure it into something inconspicuous. She put the diary on her desk and took out her wand.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco had been writing hurriedly in Ginny's journal. The journal began to shimmer but he ignored it. Suddenly, he felt his quill get wrenched out of his hand. "What," he shouted. A very angry looking hedgehog glared at him as it devoured his favorite quill. Draco cursed and tried to think of what spell Ginny had used. He couldn't think of any. The duplicating charm seemed to have its drawbacks.  
  
Now what was he going to do with a hedgehog in his room? He heard voices; Crabbe and Goyle were coming. He reached to grab the hedgehog and then jerked his hand away quickly. The little beast had bristled and now it looked like an overly large pincushion. He opened his trunk and picking up his pillow. Quickly he swatted it into the trunk and slammed it shut.  
  
He could hear scratching noises coming from the inside and he sat on it right when Crabbe and Goyle entered.  
  
"Hi Crabbe, Goyle," he said casually. His hand was quickly trying to find the clasp to shut the trunk.  
  
"Hi." They said in unison. Draco was thankful that they were so stupid or else they might have found out what had happened.  
  
"Should we bother the mudblood lovers now?" Crabbe asked, his ugly face contorted into something that might have looked like a smile.  
  
Draco started to say yes but then remembered Professor Binn's warning. He also remembered the switch in the closet with strikingly detail. He did not want to be reintroduced to it when he came home on winter holiday.  
  
"Uh no. I have homework to do." Draco said quickly, the barest trace of a squeak in his voice.  
  
"You're starting to sound like that rat-faced mudblood." Goyle pointed out.  
  
"I expect to be better than some stupid mudblood in all aspects." He said pompously, regaining himself.  
  
"What are those things on your bed?" Crabbe asked. For the first time, Draco noticed the half dozen porcupine quills lying on his bed. They were about as long as his middle finger and were glowing softly.  
  
"Transfiguration homework." He said quickly.  
  
"I don't remember having to do that," Goyle started.  
  
"Extra credit. I have to beat Granger you know."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Now, go see if Pansy is still in the hospital wing." Picking up of the quills, he concentrated hard. The tip of the quill exploded into a silver blossom. Leaves budded from the sides as the quill got longer and slimmer. "Give her this." He handed Crabbe, the more careful of the two, the silver flower.  
  
As soon as they were gone, he threw open the trunk. The nasty little hedgehog had eaten two of his quills, a good piece of parchment, and now was idly lapping up some ink. Taking out his wand, he muttered some words. The hedgehog only hiccuped, curled into a ball, and went to sleep. He cursed again, he was stuck with it. Perhaps he could give it to Hagrid, but what if it turned back into a book? Taking his dragon hide gloves from his bedside table, he picked it up and put it into his cupboard.  
  
He cleaned the out the trunk and made a barrier down the middle. He lined half of it with past versions of the Daily Prophet. Then going through his potions kit, he found an empty vial and transfigured it into a bowl. He found the bright pink ink Pansy had given him and poured some into the bowl. Then he diluted it with three parts water. He hoped it would eat the newspaper, because he wasn't going to waste perfectly good parchment on it.  
  
He lowered the sleeping hedgehog back into the trunk. It looked kind of cute, he thought dreamily, I always wanted a pet but mum wouldn't let me have a dragon. He shook himself hard, I am only keeping it so no one will find out that I impersonated Ginny's diary, he told himself. Yes, that's the only reason I'm keeping this filthy little thing. He put his things back into the other side of the trunk, he had to shrink the cauldron a bit. He dusted the quills off his bed and started his homework. I must beat that Granger girl, he thought.  
  
After a few minutes of busily writing an essay on how the world was revolutionized by the invention of the broomstick, he felt an anxiety pecking at him. Did the hedgehog have enough air? What if it suffocated? Draco had always been a rather malicious person, but never a murderer. He opened the lid of the trunk. The hedgehog was sprawled on his back; its tongue was hanging out of its mouth. Tentatively, he poked its soft underbelly with his finger. Before he knew it, it had hooked its little fangs on his finger.  
  
He screamed and shook it, but it held on adamantly. He hoped it didn't have rabies. He banged his hand against the wall and the monster let go. It fell toward the ground and turned back into the book.  
  
Ginny's spiky writing flowed across the page.  
  
Dear journal,  
  
I finally figured out how to change Cotton Ball back into a book, but I think I love her more as a hedgehog. She's so cute and she likes it when I scratch her belly. Is she the soul of my journal? She's so sweet and when I talk to her, she seems to understand me.  
  
The best thing of all is that no one will know what I said.  
  
I going to turn her back into a hedgehog now and I'm never changing her back. So bye, journal. It's been nice knowing you.  
  
~Ginny  
  
The book shimmer and Draco's little monster reappeared. It snarled at him.  
  
"Well, now that I'm stuck with you. I might as well name you." It growled at him.  
  
"You're such a little monster. That's what I'll call you, Monster." He did a summoning charm and his dragon hide gloves flew across the room and landed in his lap. He put them on and picked up Monster. He put it back into his trunk. After making a row of air-holes, he got back onto his bed and continued his homework.  
  
He was just about finished when he heard a high shrill noise coming from his trunk. He opened it. Monster was screeching angrily. The front page had a large picture of Harry Potter and Monster was snarling at it. He pounced suddenly and tried to eat the Boy-Who-Lived. Draco admired his pet's good taste. Potter took his wand out and sprayed a shower of ink stars at Monster.  
  
Monster's white muzzle turned completely black. It squealed and ran for a corner. It looked pitifully at Draco and whined. An ink version of Potter was chasing it, appearing in pictures as he rushed closer to Monster.  
  
"What?" Draco asked. "First you attack me and now you ask me to save you." Sighing, he reached down and gingerly picked the hedgehog. Its needles didn't spear his fingers.  
  
"Coward," he said affectionately as he stroked the hedgehog. 


	7. Doing the Responsible Thing

Author's Note: In the previous chapter, ages and ages ago someone mentioned that hedgehogs don't have quills. Well, monster does. He has tiny little quills on his back, the feathered writing kind. Remember, he used to be a book.  
  
Doing the Responsible Thing  
  
It had been a week since Monster had entered Draco's life. No one knew of Monster's existence, save Draco of course, but feeding Monster had become a problem. You could only come up with so many reasons for constantly buying ink and unbeknownst by his peers, Draco's money was carefully controlled by dear ol' Papa. Any more excuses, and Draco's hide would have rungs like a ladder at Christmas time.  
  
So at the end of ten days, Draco had come to the hardest decision of his life. He had to be responsible, fair to Monster, and very fair to himself. He was much too young to be a parent, soooo the only way out was to leave the animal at the big oaf, Hagrid's, door step and say good bye.  
  
The last dinner was tearful, almost. Draco sadly fed Monster his graded potions homework, O as usual, and Monster perfectly ignorant of anything out of the ordinary, gobbled it down like the glutton he was. Draco even gave him a treat of parchment paper and soon sleepy and full, the little hedgehog curled next to Draco in their silk hung bed and fell fast asleep. He snorted and grunted softly in his sleep, his little paws twitching occasionally. Draco had never felt guilty in his life and tonight. Well, he didn't feel guilty or bad, just remotely uncomfortable. But he told himself it was for the best. When everyone was in bed, Draco donned his invisibility cloak and picked up the sleeping hedgehog.  
  
Darting onto the school grounds, he lay his only true friend in the world on the doorstep and kicked the door. He pulled the cloak over his face. There was the fierce barking of Fang, the idiot dog, and it woke Monster. Monster looked around dazed, where was he? Where was his nice warm home cuddled next to Draco? It was cold. Monster shivered. The barking got worse and when the door cracked open, Monster made a run for it, straight into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
Draco chased after it, calling. "Get back here, you blood git!!" Carefully, keeping his hood on. However, the swift animal quickly disappeared into the depths of the dark forest and Draco being none to brave himself did not enter. Mournfully, he made his way back to the Slytherin dungeons and passed the night recounting the pleasant memories they had shared. Their many imaginary conquests of slaying Potter and company, the voodoo paper dolls that Monster had joyfully devoured, their plans of world domination, and of course getting back at dear ol' Papa. Just imagining the look of his face when he found his most important papers chewed through brought a wistful smile on Draco's face.  
  
Two days later, Neville was attacked near the greenhouse. He claimed that a knee high monster had stolen his book bag and tried to kill him after Madam Pomfrey revived him. He had ink stains on his clothes. Draco was positive it was Monster. He must be starving in the forest after his pampered short life. There was only one thing to do. Draco had to live up to his mistakes. He had to blame Ginny. He must tell Dumbledore of the transfigured book, before a Wizard Pest Control Team was dispatched. He was working on a plausible story, when unexpectedly he was called to Dumbledore's office. Opening the door, he saw Ginny and she pointed her accusing finger straight at him. Draco was a dead man. 


End file.
